Criminal Justice Becomes Front Line for Mental Health Care Journal of the American Medical Association
Cook County Jail in Chicago holds the dubious distinction of being the nation’s largest inpatient mental health facility, with psychiatric illnesses affecting about one-third of the 10,000 to 12,000 inmates there on any given day. The jail stands out because it is so large, but it is hardly unique. According to a new report from the Treatment Advocacy Center, similar situations are playing out in jails and prisons across the country.
Brain Health Tools for Addiction Increase patient engagement in recovery with evidence-based cognitive training. MyBrainSolutions helps develop emotional resilience, primes the brain for healthier habits and assists overcoming impulses.
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Sierra Tucson,an international leader in treating co-occurring disorders, offers comprehensive neuropsychiatric treatment programs for Addictions, Eating Recovery, Mood Disorders, Pain Management, and Trauma/PTSD. A member of CRC Health Group, Sierra Tucson is dually Accredited by The Joint Commission. Celebrating 30 years of “Compassionate Care, Clinical Excellence.”
Understanding the Dangers of Synthetic Cannabinoids Journal of Addiction Medicine (free ASAM member resource) Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, yet synthetic cannabinoids have gained popularity only in recent years. Initially popularized in Europe before gaining wide recreational use in the United States among teens and young adults, synthetic cannabinoids have been produced in various formulations and marketed as “spice” or “K2.”
SAMHSA Resource: Moving Communities Beyond Awareness to Action SAMHSA This report presents outcomes from a series of Town Hall meetings to educate communities about underage drinking and engage them in prevention efforts. It includes brief case studies to illustrate different approaches and lessons learned in hosting successful events.
Medical Marijuana: What Do Physicians Say About It? Medscape The legalization of marijuana for medical use is sweeping the nation. It is currently legal in 21 states and the District of Columbia; legislatures in 14 additional states are considering bills to legalize it for medical use in 2014. However, The Drug Enforcement Agency still lists marijuana as a Schedule I substance, or having "no accepted medicinal use”...
ISAM Call for Abstracts ISAM 2014 Taking into account requests from prospective participants at ISAM 2014, it has been decided to extend the deadline for abstract submission for an extra two weeks until May 16, 2014.
Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine for Treatment of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder JAMA Psychiatry This randomized trial reports that ketamine infusion was more effective than midazolam infusion at reducing severity of posttraumatic stress disorder and associated depressive symptoms after 24 hours.
Jump-Starting Natural Resilience Reverses Stress Susceptibility National Institutes of Health Scientists have traced vulnerability to depression-like behaviors in mice to out-of-balance electrical activity inside neurons of the brain’s reward circuit and experimentally reversed it – but there’s a twist. Instead of suppressing it, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health boosted runaway neuronal activity even further, eventually triggering a compensatory self-stabilizing response.
Nicotine Patches in Pregnant Smokers: Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Multicenter Trial of Efficacy British Medical Journal This trial was designed to determine the efficacy of 16 hour nicotine patches among pregnant smokers, with the dose individually adjusted according to saliva cotinine levels. Nicotine and identical placebo patches were administered from quit day up to the time of delivery. Doses were adjusted to saliva cotinine levels when smoking to yield a substitution rate of 100%. Participants were assessed monthly and received behavioral smoking cessation support.
Effectively Addressing Addiction Requires Changing the Language Journal of Public Health Policy Public knowledge and attitudes about addiction are largely inconsistent with scientific evidence. The gap between the facts and public and professional perceptions is due in part to the language used to describe the disease and those who have it.
Tennessee: Governor Signs Bill Targeting Drug Use During Pregnancy Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday signed legislation that will allow women to be charged with assault if they abuse narcotics while pregnant and give birth to a child who is dependent on drugs or harmed. Health organizations and women’s rights advocates had called on Mr. Haslam, a Republican, to veto the bill...
DSM-IV Antisocial Personality Disorder and Conduct Disorder: Evidence for Taxonic Structures Among Individuals With and Without Substance Use Disorders in the General Population Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs The categorical-dimensional status of DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) conduct disorder (CD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a source of controversy. This study examined whether the underlying structure of DSM-IV CD and ASPD was dimensional or categorical (taxonic) among individuals with and without substance use disorders.
Can Faith Rewire a Patient’s Brain? Wall Street Journal Young people who regularly attend religious services and describe themselves as religious are less likely to experiment with alcohol and drugs, a growing body of research shows. Why? It could be religious instruction, support from congregations, or conviction that using alcohol and drugs violates one's religious beliefs.
ASAM Board Member: Combining the Science of Addiction with the Art of Engagement Rutgers Today An ASAM member is the new chair of the Department of Psychiatry at New Jersey Medical School and is training the next generation of psychiatrists to reach patients.
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The views and positions of any content published in ASAM Weekly are not necessarily endorsed by ASAM nor a reflection of ASAM's beliefs and policies. The features are presented as a summary of the contemporary issues being represented and expressed in scientific, governmental, commercial, and media sources across the specialty field of addiction medicine. Contact ASAM Weekly with any comments or feedback.